THE LEGEND

OF LADY BLIGH®

When the Governor of New South Wales, Sir William Bligh, initiated a law on the commonwealth of Australia prohibiting the use of spirits as payment for goods, he created such turmoil and unrest that a great revolt soon ensued — the Great Rum Rebellion of 1808.

Bligh’s daughter, Mary Elizabeth, was so ashamed of her father’s tyrannical rule that she secretly began a campaign to undermine her father and his troops in support of the Australian people. By day she was an aristocratic lady. But by night, she led a band of rebels to reclaim the people’s taxes, possessions and, most importantly, their confiscated rum!

Known only as the “Sly Lady”, Mary Elizabeth became the bane of Sir William Bligh’s governance. So frustrated was he by this Sly Lady’s vigilantism, the Governor issued a bounty on her head — completely unaware that this “criminal” was his own beloved daughter.

Month after month, Lady Bligh and her troops evaded capture as they worked to reclaim the people’s rum. Infuriated and desperate to regain the upper hand, the Governor declared prohibition — forcing a blockade on all imported spirits and the immediate seizure of all rum until the surrender or capture of this “despicable perpetrator against Her Royal Majesty, the Queen’s, rule.”

Unable to bare the further suffering of her people, Mary Elizabeth revealed her true identity and publicly denounced her father, declaring her allegiance to the good people of Australia to forever fight against the oppression of her father and the Royal Monarchy.

From this day forth, let this “Sly Lady” be forever known by my true name — Lady Bligh. And may this fight free us from tyranny to restore the honor of the Bligh name, and deliver freedom, justice and rum for all!”